Located 120 Km northwest of the small city of Aquidauana, in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Barranco Alto Farm lies at the Rio Negro (Black River) boundary, in the southern area of the Pantanal, known as Nhecolândia.

Founded at the beginning of the twentieth century, Barranco Alto farm (formerly known as Barranco Branco farm) is considered to be one of the oldest in this region. The farming community there is probably not much different today than it was when established by the first nucleus of civilization of the Rio Negro.

Fulfilling a childhood dream, our father Jorge Schweizer acquired Barranco Alto Farm in the 1980´s and began directing all his efforts towards nature conservation. Among his many projects, Jorge co-founded the “Society for the Defense of the Pantanal” (Sodepan) and, after eight years of hard research, he wrote a book about the giant otters of the Pantanal.

Following in Jorge Schweizer´s pioneering footsteps, we will continue to preserve the ecology of the area, whilst increasing regional development in a non-intrusive, eco-friendly manner.

The Cattle

The white cattle bred on the farm for organic meat production are called Nelore. Originally from India, they can be found all over Brazil, where they have adapted very well.

We have kept local traditions of handling the cattle herds, such as using the horn to round up the cattle.

The Community

Traditionally, the people from the Pantanal are of a nomadic nature. They are constantly moving from one farm to another, staying no longer than one or two years in any one place.

With the towns getting larger and farms growing, the indigenous people have found jobs and their living conditions have improved. Due to the better living conditions found on Barranco Alto Farm, a few families have settled down there, putting down roots and growing with the community.